Cigarette rod former



w. B. BRONANDER. 2190,0l2 CIGARETTE RIOD FORMER.

' Filed 'Ju ne 1, 195a Feb. 13, 1949'.

|NVENT OR W6. 19M

Patented Feb. 13, 1940 v UNITED STATES 2,190,012 I CIGARETTE ROD FORMER Wilhelm B, Bronander, Montclair, N. J., assignor to American Machine & Foundry Company, a

corporation of New Jersey Application June 1, 1936,'Serial No. 82,845

Claims. (01. 131-66) "This invention relates to cigarette rod forming mechanism and particularly to a mechanism for vibrating or imparting to and fro motion to parts confining or forming the tobacco stream 5 which forms the rod, as for instance the tongue In operating cigarette machines at high speed,

the work of the tongue and other parts in compressing orconfining the moving stream of tobacco approximately to rod size, as the cigarette wrapper is folded about the rod, has been in creased, and increased lack of uniformity of "cigarettes made at high speed is attributed to hesitation or temporary holding up of the tobacco stream at these parts, as for instance at the small end of the tongue where compression is frequently greatest. Also, at high speed, much trouble resulted from breaking of the rodgbelieved due to choking at the tongue as the rapidly moving stream of tobacco passes under and is compressed by the 1 stationary surface of the tongue. The main object of the invention is to eliminate or minimize the'above difiiculties by vibrating or moving the tongue or other rod confining parts. In this connection, it is my aim to produce a movement of the tongue which will actually aid in forwarding the. tobacco, even at the point of greatest compression, instead of resisting the movement of the tobacco by pressure of a stationary surface thereon as hitherto.

Still another object is to move the tongue toward and away from the tobacco stream, so as to produce a vibratory effect which will tend to release or unblock almost immediately any chokes which might break the rod, or any partial chokes which might cause holes or soft places in the cigarettes or so-called broken neck cigarettes.

To these ends, means is provided for imparting to and fro vibratory motion to the former tongue or other rod confining parts, toward and away from the tobacco stream which forms the rod. Also means is provided for giving a motion of the tongue along the tobacco stream. While it is not necessary that the two motions be combined, the best results follow from such combination, such for; instance as results from a diagonal motion to and along the stream in the direction of its movement, or a movement to, along, away from and back relative to the u stream.

. tobacco to choke or hesitate as it passes under With these and other objects not specifically mentioned in view, the combination consists in certain, constructions and combinations hereinafter fully described and then specifically set forth in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying" drawing in which like characters of reference indicate the same or like parts: I 3

Fig. l is a front elevation, partly in section, of the improved cigarette rod former; 1 w

Fig. 2 is a sectional end elevation taken on line 2-2 ofFig.1;"

Fig. 3 is a section "end elevation showing the tongue in connection with the motor shaft;

Fig. 4 is a partial front elevation of a modified form ofFig. 1; r

Fig. 5 is an end View of the same; and- Fig. 6 is a detail View of a section of a modi fied form of tongue.

Referring now to the drawing, in the form selected to illustrate the invention a motor shaft ID of motor ll, Fig. 1, has an eccentricshoulder I2 which engages in the bearing l3 integral with tongue l4. The small end of said tongue is provided with a holder I5 which receives one 25 end of a flat spring IS, the other end of spring is being attached to a stationary member H of the cigarette machine. The, fiat spring limits the tongue to a motion infthe plane ofthe tongue. v t

The narrow stream of tobacco T for forming the cigarette rod is forwarded by an endless tape 18 guided in a bottom plate l9;v which as" seen in Fig; 3, is provided with a hollowed out portion which gradually terminates in a semicircular opening, as shown in Fig. 2, which causes the tape I8 to fold the paper P around the tobacco T. K

The motion imparted to the tongue by the eccentric permits the tongue to iron or level out any irregularities in the stream of tobacco and even more important tends to relieve almost instantaneously any momentary tendency of the the tongue, especially the small end thereof. The spring I 6 is so placed that it holds the end of the tongue from resting on the traveling paper strip P.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, in the modification therein illustrated, the small end of tongue I4 is provided with a guide [5a, which engages with a, member 22 carrying an adjusting screw 23 which rests against the'bar 21, said screw providing means for holding the tongue from falling upon the traveling paper strip P.

Referring to Fig. 6, the tongue M is shown with a stepped surface Ma which provides a.

more positive feeding effect.

It is noted that an independent motor is provided which may be operated at speeds far ment of the tongue or other tobacco stream-en,-

in excess of that of the'cigarettemachmes, such as 6,000 or more revolutions per minute.

While the invention has been described in connection with the rod forming tongue, it is contemplated that the invention be applied to other parts acting to form or confine the rod for the purpose of forming a more'uniform rod and minimizing friction and choking. The invention is particularly applicable to compressing or confining parts overlying or engaging the sides or bottom of the rod intermediate the tobacco feed and the actual closing of the rod.

It is noted that the flat spring 36 extends diagonally somewhat rearwardly so that it is at an acute angle to the direction of movement of the stream of tobacco. Thus the forward end of and somewhat downwardly and a rearward movement which is somewhat in an upward direction. Thus, there is a greater compression or rubbing action of the tongue on the tobacco durthis compression. or friction is relieved during the rearward movement of the tongue.

It is contemplated that the motor will be operatedat such speeds as to produce linear movegaging element at a speed greater than the linear speed of the stream, so that-the tongue or other stream-engaging element tends to push the tobacco forwardly at greater than rod speed, re-

,sulting in a longitudinal compacting or compressing of the rod tending to fill any holes or spots of' low density. In this connection the barbed or serrated surface shown in Fig. 6 serves to provide a more positive forwarding and compacting 451,. action.

What is claimedis:

1. In a cigarette machine, the combination with means for advancing a web of cigarette paper, to inclose, in progressively tapering formation carried by the web, a stream of tobacco, of a cigaretteeforming tongue of progressively tapered arcuate cross-section, overlyingsaid paper and engaging said tobacco,- and means for vibrating said tongue relatively to said stream of tobacco.

2. In a cigarette machine, the combination with means for advancing a web of cigarette paper with a stream of tobacco thereon, of a cigarette rod forming tongue overlying said paper and engaging said tobacco, a resilient member supporting one end of said tongue, and means for vibrating said tongue, said means including a rotating eccentric and means connected to the other end of said tongue engaging said eccentric.

3. In a cigarette machine, the combination with means for forwarding a narrow stream of tobacco having a cross-section approximating that of the cigarette rod for forming a cigarette rod, of an element having a surface extending along and engaging said stream,- and means giving said element to and fro movement having a component of motion in the direction of movement of the stream at a linear speed greater than that of the stream to produce an axial compression on the stream While forwarding the same.

4. In a cigarette machine, the combination with means for forwarding a narrow stream of tobacco having a crosssection approximating that of the cigarette rod for forming a cigarette rod, of an element having a surface extending along and engaging said stream, and means giving said element to and fro movement having a component of motion in the direction of movement of the stream at a linear speed greater than that of the stream to produce an axial compression on the stream while forwarding the same, said element having forwardly directed barbs or teeth arranged to feed the. stream forwardly on forward movement of the element While permitting relative movement of the element and the stream on backward movement of the element relative to said stream.

5. In a cigarette machine, the combination with means for advancing a web of cigarette paper, to inclose, in progressively tapering formation carried by the web, a stream of tobacco, of a cigarette-forming tongue of progressively tapered arcuate cross-section, overlying said paper and engaging said tobacco, and means for vibrating said tongue relatively to saidstream of tobacco, said means including mechanism imparting to said tongue a movement having a component of motion in the direction of movement of said stream.

.VILHELM B. BRONAN'DER.. 

